The “tush push” became the NFL’s most controversial play. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts lines up behind center. Two teammates plant their hands on his back and drive forward with everything they’ve got. The result? Nearly unstoppable short-yardage gains.
Critics called it unfair. Defenders said it was boring. But after endless debate, even NFL owners admitted the truth: sometimes you need someone behind you to get over the line.
Every business has its own goal lines. There’s the deal that’s 99% done but won’t close, the project stuck at 90% complete, and the revenue target you’re three percentage points from hitting.
You push harder. You strategize differently. You reorganize the team. Nothing works. You’re stuck.
That’s when you need your tush push.
Not someone out front pulling you forward—you’ve tried that. You need someone behind you who is applying focused pressure at precisely the right moment. The board member who makes the crucial introduction. The advisor who pushes you past your comfort zone. The mentor who won’t let you settle for “close enough.”
The Eagles didn’t apologize for using physics to their advantage. They recognized that sometimes the shortest distance between where you are and where you need to be isn’t a clever end-around or a flashy long bomb.
Sometimes it’s having someone willing to put their hands on your back and push when it matters most.
The question isn’t whether you’ll face those goal-line moments in business. The question is whether you’ve built relationships with people willing to push when you can’t push yourself any further.
Wise leaders don’t just surround themselves with cheerleaders. They find people who will get behind them when forward progress requires more than individual effort.
